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HK Express flew through 2016 on a jetstream of success, finishing the year with a host of achievements and awards. In just 12 months, the ambitious low-fare airline introduced the all new U-Biz corporate programme, welcomed the first A320neo in North Asia, took delivery of an A321, launched 8 new routes across Asia, formed the U-FLY Alliance, and was named one of the world’s safest low-cost carriers.

Immediate Release

HK Express Reports Most Successful Year on Record
The Low-fare Airline Finishes 2016 With 90% Load Factor,
First A320neo, ‘Top 10’ Safety Award and Caring Company Logo

Hong Kong, 23 January 2017 HK Express flew through 2016 on a jetstream of success, finishing the year with a host of achievements and awards. In just 12 months, the ambitious low-fare airline introduced the all new U-Biz corporate programme, welcomed the first A320neo in North Asia, took delivery of an A321, launched 8 new routes across Asia, formed the U-FLY Alliance, and was named one of the world’s safest low-cost carriers.

HK Express continued its exceptional operational performance through the end of 2016, generating a 90% load factor in the month of December and an 89% load factor overall. An airline’s load factor is an important indicator of operational efficiency — the airline’s near-perfect rate illustrates that HK Express operates full planes and attracts a loyal following.
As anticipated, passenger growth continued to skyrocket in 2016 – the low-fare airline carried 2,909,460 passengers, marking a 29.18% increase compared with the same period last year. In the month of December, HK Express welcomed 269,693 Guests on board its routes, representing a 17.3% increase in comparison to the same month in 2015.
While passenger numbers soared, Guest Complaint Rates dropped to an all-time low in December at 0.08% — down from 0.16% in November. Meanwhile, On-Time Performance (OTP) held steady at an overall rate of 76.8% in 2016.

Ancillary revenue surged to 25.1% of total revenue in December, compared with 19% in the same month in 2015. Looking at the full year, HK Express saw ancillary revenue climb to 23.1% in 2016, marking a 4.8% increase in comparison to 18.3% in 2015.

The past year has seen positive development for the low-fare airline’s ancillary revenue strategies, with the launch of services such the U-Fly Pass and the new U-Biz programme for corporate flyers. The free service offers flexible flights, free 30KG checked baggage allowance, priority check-in, free seat selection, inflight meal credits double reward-U points, and more.
In 2016, HK Express celebrated the launch of U-FLY Alliance — the world’s first alliance of LCCs — as one of four founding members. The low-fare airline also debuted several unserved new destinations including Ishigaki, Takamatsu, Kagoshima, Chiang Rai, Hualien, Nha Trang, Guam, and Yangon.

A testament to the airline’s corporate citizenship, HK Express is pleased to be named as one of the caring companies in Hong Kong under the Caring Company Scheme 2016/17 organised by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), in recognition of its commitment to the local community, employees, and the environment.
Since its conversion to a low-fare airline in 2013, HK Express has shown its commitment to encouraging a more benevolent society through its collaboration with charitable organisations, such as the Hong Kong Shark Foundation, Food Angel, Hong Kong Dog Rescue, as well as Po Leung Kuk.
The year ended on a promising note with the delivery of HK Express’ first A320neo aircraft, which was the first in Hong Kong and North Asia region. The eco-friendly, state-of-the-art aircraft offers reduced emissions, lower fuel burn, and quieter engine technology. The low-fare airline has already welcome its second A320neo and have an additional 10 A320neo and 10 A321 on order that are expected to be delivered by 2018.

The good news continues into the early days of 2017. In an excellent start to the new year, HK Express was named one of the world’s safest low-cost carriers by AirlineRatings.com, the world’s leading airline safety and product rating website. The rigorous survey considered several factors, including the airline’s IOSA certification, safety records, seven-star safety rankings, and best practices.
“We are thrilled to receive this international honour in recognition of our excellent safety performance and the hard work of our diligent teams,” said Andrew Cowen, Director and CEO of HK Express. “Safety is our No. 1 priority and, as Asia’s safest LCC, we will continue our commitment to rigorous standards in 2017 so our loyal Guests can fly with peace of mind.”

12 Months to 31/12/2016

Month of Dec 2016

Average OTP Yearto-date*

Guests Flown

2,909,460

269,693

-

% Change vs Last Year

29.18%

17.3%

-

Load Factor

89%

90%

-

On-time Performance*

76.8%

77.9%

76.8%

Ancillary Revenue %

23.1%

25.1%

-

Guest Complaint Rate**

0.13%

0.08%

-

* Departures <15 minutes of scheduled departure time from Hong Kong (industry standard measure of punctuality) ** Guest Complaint Rate is calculated based on the number of complaint case per number of carried Guests.

About HK Express
Independent flight statistic monitoring website flightstats.com has already recognized HK Express for its top On-Time Performance (OTP) rate. The airline has become a leader in the Hong Kong aviation industry by concentrating on low fares, best-in-class on-time performance and safety while revolutionizing air travel throughout the Asia market. The airline also received a “7-star safety rating” – the highest ranking possible, as well as a recognition of one of the world’s 10 safest low-fare airlines from airlineratings.com, an independent, industry-respected research group. HK Express flies to 26 of the most popular destinations in Asia. With its fast growing fleet and enticing number of destinations, HK Express has flown over 6 million Guests since converting to LCC – a major achievement that attests to the popularity of the airline and the low fares business model. HK Express is also one of the founder airlines of the world’s first LCC alliance, U-FLY Alliance (www.uflyalliance.com), and is a partner member of reward-U (www.rewardu.com) as well as U-FLY Holidays (www.uflyholidays.com).